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Fabric ‘n Mod Podge Drink Coasters

Mod Podge…I wish I would have found you sooner! Mod Podge is one of the coolest things ever! Who knew! I didn’t. So I got it into my head to make some cool drink coasters. I found various tutorials on the internet for making them, but they were all slightly different, and most of them used scrapbook paper. I can’t even remember all the different blogs I read regarding this, but here’s what I did to make my coasters. Bear in mind that I was a Mod Podge virgin, so this is just how I did it and what worked for me.

Materials
– 4×4 ceramic tiles (I got mine at Lowes for .18 each, I got the plain white glossy tiles)
– jar of Mod Podge (I got the 8oz. jar of Glossy at Joann’s for $4.99 minus a 40% off coupon. I know there is also a Mod Podge Fabric, but they didn’t carry it)
– 1 sheet of colored felt (on sale for .25)
– fabric scraps, cut to 4″x4″
– paint brush

I used 4″x4″ fabric scrap squares for this project. I know the tiles are 4×4, but when I actually measured them, they came out to be around 4-1/4″, so if you cut the scraps to 4″x4″, they will be the perfect size so that you will have a little bit of white border around the edges.

I started out by brushing a layer of Mod Podge on the actual ceramic tile, making sure to brush it all the way to the edges. Then, I immediately centered the fabric scrap on the tile. I pressed it down gently with my fingers, starting at the center and working my way to the edges. This will help smooth out any bubbles.

The first few tiles I made, I waited 20 minutes to brush a layer of Mod Podge on top of the fabric, but I found that if you brush it on right away without waiting, it seemed to decrease the amount of bubbles that I had to deal with. Again, I’m new to this, but that’s just what happened with me. Again, make sure you brush the Mod Podge all the way to the edges so it seals the fabric in. It helps to brush the sides vertically and the top and bottom horizontally, because this will keep the frays in check.

Goldfish Bags and Tufted Tweets.

Some of the tutorials I read instructed you to use 1 layer of Mod Podge on top of the paper/fabric, and others up to 6. I did 3 layers, waiting 20 minutes for it to dry in between each layer, and then I couldn’t take the smell anymore, so I stopped. Three layers seems to be adequate. By the way, it looks white when you paint it on, but dries clear.

Also, a couple tutorials also mentioned spraying on an acrylic sealant when you’re finished. This is because when the Mod Podge dries, it still feels sticky or tacky. However, if you wait about a month (or so I’m told), the Mod Podge will cure and you can avoid using the acrylic sealant. I’m really sensitive to sprays/air fresheners/candles/perfume, so I opted to wait the month. The fumes from the Mod Podge bothered me a little bit as it was. I suppose I could have done them outside, but I work on projects from around 9pm until midnight most nights, so I didn’t want to be abducted or anything (this is Chicago, after all). I don’t really need to use them right away.

Alice and Wonderland for my daughter, and a Scooter

I let the tiles dry overnight, and then cut out 4″x4″ squares of the felt. I used super glue to glue the felt to the bottom of each tile.

Mix tapes, and of course Superman for my son

This was a super-fun project! I can’t wait to explore more with Mod Podge. I only used about .75 cent’s worth of Mod Podge on these, so my total expense was about $1.60. Cha-ching! My husband thought the tiles would make a really cool wall hanging if I made a ton of them and hung them individually. Or maybe a border in a small room, like a bathroom. The nice thing about them is that you can Mod Podge anything…covers from cd liner notes, post cards, scrapbook paper, anything. You can even sew some patchwork squares, press the seams open, and use them like that. The possibilities seem endless.

The felt on the bottom of the coaster

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25 thoughts on “Fabric ‘n Mod Podge Drink Coasters

  1. Cherie says:

    I love this idea and think they would make great teacher gifts, housewarming, etc. Have you seen Corey’s (Little Miss Shabby) project? Very similar, but mounted on a canvas. It is gorgeous!

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/37673428@N05/5957575397/

  2. Cherie says:

    And the cheap canvases are on sale this week at Michaels (50% off).

  3. Kristen says:

    They turned out great!!! It’s funny, I just put these on my to do list yesterday!! I hope I’m sucessful as you are!

  4. Thanks for the great idea Sara! I teach grade school art once a week and am always looking for something they can do — this seems like a good one. I know someone donated a box of tiles to me last year, so we can finally use them! I’m thinking maybe they can glitter and add some cutouts on top of the fabric.

  5. suemac says:

    Wow what a neat idea. They came out so cute. You had great fabric choices.

  6. Gazz says:

    These would make great personal gifts and without having to spend a lot of money.

  7. Beverly says:

    Thanks for sharing! I’m going to make some of these for Christmas gifts for co-workers.

  8. Kristy says:

    These turned out great! I’ve been wanting to try these myself, but have a friend who has struggled with the “sticky” aspect of it….but for the price, certainly worth the try! And if it’s too sticky for a drink, I love your idea (or husband’s) about using them for wall art!

  9. Ebeth says:

    Love this idea and yours are so great! Thanks for sharing!

  10. Robin says:

    What a fun project! We are a coaster-obsessed family, so these would be perfect. And the gift-giving possibilities are wonderful as well. Thanks so much for sharing! (And you’ll have to let us know how the 30-day cure goes.)

  11. Katy Cameron says:

    Oh, gotta love a good Mod Podge project, it’s like regressing to primary school art classes all over again, so much mess, but so much fun!

  12. Connie says:

    These are really cute and fun to make. I haven’t made any for years and had forgotten all about them. Great gift idea.

  13. I am a mod podge newbie too as I just found it about a month ago. Love the fabric coaster ideas. And I have tons of felt for the back! So fun.

  14. Sally says:

    These are really cute! I love how they can be customized for any home/decor. Of course, I have all glass tables where I might need a coaster, but I think they would make great gifts, too!

  15. SO cute. You picked some great fabrics! Love that Alice in Wonderland – a lot!!

  16. Bree says:

    I’m glad you found a good way to showcase that wasp fabric! All the fabrics you chose are perfect for this sort of thing. I’ll have to keep this in mind for some of my favorite scraps.

    Not sure if you’re interested, or if you already knew this, but you can make your own Mod Podge! http://pinterest.com/pin/59197434/

  17. Anonymous says:

    These are fabulous. I know you mention that the mod podge has a smell when using it, but is it odour free once dry?

  18. melissa says:

    Gonna try this tomorrow. There are so many different kings of mod podge..what kind would you suggest.

    Thanks
    Melissa

    [email protected]

  19. Cindy says:

    I did this for a craft for the Assisted Living Center that I worked in, but I used tissue paper. They turned out so cute, I did have a hard time with the tissue tearing. I would for sure use the cloth material next time.

  20. Crafty Beth says:

    I kept wanting to do this too, but like you only found tutorials using scrapbook paper! Thanks for the motivation to use fabric 🙂

    http://bethbeingcrafty.blogspot.com/2012/11/fabric-covered-coasters.html

  21. Megamaker says:

    Hello! I am glad i found your blog about this craft. All other tutorials talks about making these with napkins or tissue paper. I didnt have any napkins so i looked up if i could do it with fabric and BOOM! Found you! Haha! I am new with mod podge, like a week old. So i am looking for all crafts modpodge! My husband bought me a box of tiles at the goodwill store for $1 so look there for those if u have a store like that. Thanks again for this tutorial. I have it saved in my bookmarks and will come back to it often.

  22. Dana says:

    I’ve been wanting to do this for quite sometime. I’m sorry if I overlooked the answer to my question but here goes. Do they absorb moisture so it doesn’t run over the sides? Thanks.

    1. Sara Lawson says:

      Hi Dana! They do not absorb moisture. Thank you!

  23. Yvette says:

    I’ve tried this with reg mod podge and hard coat and found the surface to be quite rough. Does the fabric formula come out smother or am I still going to have the same finish?

    1. Sara Lawson says:

      Hi Yvette! Perhaps try an acrylic finishing spray. I demonstrated this on one of my live shows (check for 24 minutes in to the video: https://www.facebook.com/sewsweetness/videos/sewcial-sunday-mod-podge-coasters/1305237086279916/

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